


I stand beside myself so I'm not alone

by Hawkogirl



Series: Snatchertown AU [2]
Category: Asagao Academy: Normal Boots Club, NormalBoots
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, And It will make so much more sense in a few chapters, Angst, Great artist, Great song, I am publishing this at 4 AM so its not my best work, Its part of Snatchertown au, LISTEN TO IT, M/M, The title is from Orphans by Beck, Unrequited Love, not relevant to the fic tho
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-02
Updated: 2019-07-02
Packaged: 2020-06-02 16:50:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,082
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19445599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hawkogirl/pseuds/Hawkogirl
Summary: Jeff has been acting weird. Austin notices.





	I stand beside myself so I'm not alone

**Author's Note:**

  * For [my dumb discord bitches](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=my+dumb+discord+bitches).



> Apparently, I like to make people suffer
> 
> No fluff, unrequited spacebutter for my discord lads. Its in my Snatchertown AU, aka my child. 
> 
> This will make more sense after the next few chapters
> 
> Its four in the morning so this likely isnt my greatest work

Jeff was acting weird.

That was the understatement of the century. He’d been acting weird ever since he moved here. He was constantly stressed, with deep bags under his eyes, wearing long sleeves and pants when it was honestly still too hot to be doing so. Austin only saw his arms when he was sitting behind him in lectures, and he seemed to be picking at his skin. All Austin had really gotten to see was a hint of what seemed to be turquoise before he tugged his sleeves down.

He was always tired for another thing-Austin had lost track of how many times Jeff had fallen asleep at a lecture. Or working on homework. Or he had spotted Jeff half asleep, just in general.

There was also that other thing. Where Jeff would sneak out exactly 27 minutes before 10 every Friday and return 27 minutes after 5 the next morning and collapse onto his bed, sleep for about ten hours most of the time, and wake to work on homework and eat. And sometimes hang out and play video games with Austin like in high school  which Austin did not mind at all, to be honest.  The cycle would repeat over Saturday and Sunday and he’d seem more stressed out when Monday rolled around.

It was worrying, to be honest. 

At least Austin could say Jeff acted mostly like his old friend the rest of the week. They studied and hung out together, got Wendy’s on Fridays for dinner, sometimes with friends and Austin was successful in getting Jeff to talk to Austin’s friend group. The duo they’d been in high school wasn’t completely gone, and was it bad for Austin to hope if they got close enough it could be something more than that?

And then came That Week. The one where Sunday morning Jeff returned with a book tucked under one arm and a look of complete worry on his face. And then he left an hour later, came back with a two boxes of ramen packets, a 12 pack of cream soda, three heads of lettuce, and a king size bag of m&ms. And locked himself in his room. And didn’t come out for three days. And missed lectures for those three days.

Things changed after that. Whenever Jimmy would tease Austin about his fear of The Snatcher, a look of pure  _ guilt  _ crossed his face. He seemed constantly too busy to hang out with their friends. Or him, one on one, but that didn’t hurt. He totally didn’t miss failing at co-oping Zilda. Not at all. He hadn’t been close to asking him out because he thought they were close again. Totally not.

At least they were studying together now, two weeks after That Week. Even if Jeff was a little distracted, Austin, a fucking teenage girl, was glad to be spending time with his best friend and crush.  ~~ But it wasn’t just a crush. This was love, he  _ loved  _ him, they were PBG and Jeff, an iconic duo in high school, he just wanted this to be on the next level, friendship with kisses and cuddling and dates and telling each other  _ “I love you.” _ ~~

There was a moment of silence between them, and Austin looked up. Jeff… seemed to be genuinely happy. The slight smile on his face and, maybe Austin was just going crazy, dust of blush on his cheeks made Austin realize that the look of perpetual stress over the past several months made Jeff look five years older. And that over the last week he’d been looking less and less stressed. 

It made him incredibly happy to see his best friend alright for the first time since moving here. Maybe Austin had a chance. Maybe that expression would stay and Austin could be the one to cause it. 

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom.” Jeff stood and left, humming a song that had been on the radio recently, leaving his notebook open.

And it wasn’t like he was hoping to see doodles of himself in the margins, or little hearts with their initials, because it was what Austin did, but he looked over. 

And his heart stopped.

Okay, make fun of Austin all you want, but he really didn’t want to see the fucking Snatcher, you know, the psychopathic murderous ghost who haunted the forest and picked off college kids for fun, who Austin had every right to be scared of, because the man was terrifying and could kill you by touching you, and existed, damn it, doodled in the margins. Looking a bit too close to the photos with his court records. Dressed in a suit that was a bit too detailed. With an expression of pure affection Austin didn’t think suited a murder ghost and with a knife between two fingers that did suit a murder ghost. 

_ Oh god, my best friend has met and is in love with The Snatcher,  _ was the first thing his dumb brain shouted, despite the fact the  _ reasonable  _ explanation was that Jeff had seen the photos and was just doodling for fun. 

The next thing he knew the notebook was swiped from right under his nose, and was held to the chest of Jeffrey Fabre, with that same fucking stressed expression Austin never wanted to see again. 

Austin stared at Jeff’s expression, the embodiment of anxiety,  ~~ a fucking scuplture of the emotion, somehow still gorgeous as it tore Austin’s heart to shreds.  ~~ And then he looked down at the notebook, and at Jeff’s hands, and at the slightest bit of turquoise-

Which Jeff saw at the same moment he did, let out a squeak of, “shit!” and ran and locked himself into his bedroom. Just like That Week

And god damn it Austin wasn’t going to allow another reset of his progress.

“Jeff!” He was standing outside Jeff’s door now. “I know something’s up! I’m not blind.”

“Yeah, and I can’t tell you about it, I’m sorry!”

“Jeff, we’re supposed to be best friends! You could tell me anything! I won’t judge you.” But his heart may break and it may hurt like he was shot through the heart.

“Sorry Peebs, but I need to deal with this on my own.” Jeff audibly sighed behind the door. “I need to and want to deal with this completely alone.”

“Jeff-”

“Austin. If you want to help me, drop it.”

His throat caught between two three-word phrases.

  
_ Please trust me  _ and  _ I love you. _


End file.
